1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a catalyst for producing olefin polymers, as well as to a process for producing olefin polymers using said catalyst. More particularly, the present invention relates to (1) a solid catalyst component having very high catalytic activities not only per transition metal but also per solid catalyst in various polymerization processes (e.g. slurry polymerization, gas phase polymerization, high temperature solution polymerization, high pressure ionic polymerization), (2) a catalyst system using said solid catalyst component and (3) a process for producing olefin polymers using said catalyst system.
Use of a high activity catalyst in production of olefin polymers has a very high industrial value because it requires no removal of catalyst residue from olefin polymers produced and can provide a simplified process for producing olefin polymers. It is necessary that this high activity catalyst has high catalytic activities not only per transition metal but also per solid catalyst.
When a metal halide such as titanium halide, magnesium halide or the like is used in solid catalysts, high catalytic activity per solid catalyst is necessary also from the standpoint of countermeasures which must be taken for corrosion of equipments and apparatuses caused by active halogen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Catalysts consisting of a transition metal compound (e.g. titanium tetrachloride) supported by a carrier (e.g. a magnesium compound) have recently been developed. These catalysts have higher catalytic activities than conventional catalysts but are not satisfactory in catalytic activity per solid catalyst (Belgium Patent No. 759601, Japanese Patent Publication No. 46269/1972, Japanese Patent Publication No. 26383/1972, etc.).
As catalyst systems using a solid product obtained by reducing a titanium compound with an organo magnesium compound, there are disclosed solid catalyst components consisting of a Grignard reagent and titanium tetrachloride or an alkoxy-containing titanium halide [Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-open) No. 4391/1971, Japanese Patent Publication No. 40959/1972, Japanese Patent Publication No. 39470/1975, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,575, etc.], as well as solid catalyst components obtained by reacting a Grignard reagent with an alkoxy-containing titanium halide and then treating the resulting reaction product with titanium tetrachloride [Japanese Patent Publication No. 24361/1972, Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-open) No. 115302/1971, etc.]. However, these solid catalyst components are not satisfactory in catalytic activities per transition metal and also per solid catalyst component.